So it really was about using Dialga to bring those two Lapras back.
Dylan wasn't surprised. After all, what else could Pryce want from him?
It's not like he expected Dylan to go chase Celebi down, right?
When Dylan fought Leon in Wyndon back in Galar, he had used Dialga, and that Time Dragon's power wasn't exactly a secret to those paying attention—especially since he had openly displayed its control over time.
Dylan fell silent in thought.
"…?"
Not far off, Lorelei was in a total daze.
What had Pryce just said? He wanted Dylan to use Dialga to bring them back?
But hadn't Pryce said it himself? That his two Lapras had died in a tragic accident during his youth?
Could Dialga even do that?
Then suddenly—Lorelei's pupils shrank behind her glasses. She wasn't stupid.
What Pryce had said earlier—about catching Celebi—suddenly clicked.
Time.
He wanted to reverse time to save his Lapras?!
Was he insane?
Even Lorelei felt a wave of disbelief. Could something like that even be done?
But clearly, Pryce was deadly serious. And that… was the scary part.
"Champion Dylan, I beg you—please help me. I'm willing to pay any price."
Seeing Dylan stay quiet, Pryce lowered himself even further—genuinely begging.
Yes, begging.
The great Ice Master of Kanto-Johto, reduced to this posture—all because of that one wish.
Because of that obsession, he had sacrificed everything and crossed every line.
"…What a headache."
Dylan patted Eternatus, signaling it to descend a little.
"To be honest, you've come farther than I have as a Trainer. With your strength, you could have anything you want."
Dylan looked at Pryce, who seemed on the verge of tears, lost in painful memories.
If not for that tragedy… Pryce might have stood at the very top of the world. Without using legendaries, Dylan wasn't even sure he could beat him.
(Though mainly, that was because Dylan's XP was spread across too many mainstays. If he wanted to focus-train a single team, he could easily catch up within months.)
But that wasn't necessary.
He already had his Dragon God army. With Necrozma and Eternatus alone, he could defeat Pryce if needed.
Even regular Pokémon would soon surpass Pryce. No rush.
"All I want is that one wish," Pryce whispered, shaking his head.
Fame, wealth, power—none of it mattered.
"I can help you. But what do I get in return?" Dylan asked, tilting his head.
"Everything!"
Pryce raised his head, clouded eyes burning with intensity.
"If you'll help me, Champion Dylan—anything I have is yours. Whatever you ask, I'll do it!"
Dylan stared at him for a long moment—then nodded.
In Pryce's eyes, he saw nothing but desperation and sincerity. For all his shady methods, the man's heart never wavered.
And besides…
Dylan knew—if Pryce could defeat him, he wouldn't be negotiating. He'd be forcing Dialga's hand.
Only because he knew that wouldn't work had he come here humbly.
"Alright," Dylan said after a pause.
A Trainer who had surpassed Champion-level—Pryce's value was undeniable.
And frankly, letting a talent like him rot in Mahogany Gym was a colossal waste.
He deserved more.
As Dylan and Pryce struck their deal, Kyurem Unova Form shimmered and split apart once more into Kyurem and Reshiram.
"Dialga."
Dylan threw the Master Ball.
Vwoom.
With a low, majestic hum, the Time Dragon emerged, cloaked in blue light.
"Dialga, if we go back and save two Pokémon who were supposed to die… would that alter the present?"
Dylan asked seriously. Time was a fragile thing—like the butterfly effect. One tiny change could ripple out into devastating consequences.
But the rules of time in the Pokémon world were… strange.
For example, in Arceus's movie, the corrupted god had gone berserk, and not even the Sinnoh trio could stop it. So Dialga had sent Ash back in time to change the "cause" that created the present "effect."
And it worked.
Ash healed Arceus's heart a thousand years in the past. In the present, Arceus returned to normal.
But there was a paradox: if the past had changed, the future should've changed too—Arceus shouldn't have been in that exact place anymore, the Sinnoh trio shouldn't have been injured, etc.
But nothing changed… except Arceus's sudden "realization" and a single ancient tablet proving Ash's time-travel.
Then there was Pryce in Pokémon Adventures—he had used Celebi to travel through time. Though the GS Ball was broken in transit, he still reached his desired timeline.
He fulfilled his wish: Lapras reunited with its parents. Pryce's heart was healed, and he disappeared into the timestream.
But again, shouldn't a changed Pryce have followed a different life path—one that didn't lead to him becoming the Masked Man?
And yet, he later reappeared, released by Celebi to help stop Arceus's rogue Sinnoh trio—proving the timeline remained intact.
Maybe the altered past had just spawned a new worldline. A parallel reality?
Who knew.
"Perhaps it will. Perhaps it won't."
Dialga's divine eyes glanced at Pryce, its genderless, booming voice echoing in Dylan's mind.
"Time is both heavy and light. So long as it does not disrupt world balance or provoke the Father… small alterations are permitted."
It looked up at the sky, gaze piercing dimensions.
The "Father," of course—Arceus.
"…But the Father in this world is… strange," Dialga added, frowning.
It had sensed something off for a while.
"So you're saying… saving two insignificant Pokémon won't mess up anything?"
"Correct. I can retrieve them from the timestream with ease."
As expected of the Time Dragon—Dialga's control over the flow of time was peerless.
Pryce's breath hitched, eyes wide with joy.
"But this human is different."
Then, Dialga turned to Pryce—its eyes glowing with mysterious power.
It was peering into Pryce's timeline.
"His fate is heavy. The turning point lies with those two Pokémon. Dylan—if we change that 'cause' in the past, it will drastically impact the 'effect' in the present. We could face serious consequences."
It waited.
Pryce fell silent.
He understood what Dialga meant. Those Lapras were everything.
Their loss had twisted his path forever—into becoming the Masked Man.
"I see…"
Dylan frowned. This didn't match what happened in the Adventures timeline—but Dialga wouldn't lie.
"This complicates things…"
He tapped his chin.
If they changed that key moment, Pryce might never become the Masked Man.
He wouldn't capture Ho-Oh or Lugia. He wouldn't kidnap Leaf or Silver. He wouldn't cross paths with Dylan and Leaf at all—or if he did, it would be a different story entirely.
Too many dominoes would fall.
"Champion Dylan…"
Seeing Dylan hesitate, Pryce grew anxious.
"Relax, old man. I'm thinking."
Then, an idea.
"Dialga—what if we go back, after the Lapras die… and just bring their bodies forward in time to now, then resurrect them?"
"That way, the past isn't changed. The tragedy still happens. Pryce's pain and choices remain. But in the present, he can reunite with them."
Dylan asked carefully.
Pryce blinked—Wait, that's allowed?!
"..."
Dialga was silent for a long moment. Lights flickered in its eyes.
"…Acceptable," it finally answered.
"Perfect."
Dylan grinned.
As for resurrection? Easy.
Ho-Oh could do that. And since Pryce and Ho-Oh had "history," Dylan was sure the bird would "happily" oblige.
After all, Ho-Oh definitely didn't want to get caught by Pryce again.
"Alright, let's not waste time."
Dylan looked at Dialga.
"Wait, one thing."
"Hm?"
"This world has another 'me.' If it's just minor time manipulation, that's fine. But if we time travel, it'll definitely notice."
Dialga's "other self"—the native Dialga.
Dylan blinked—then waved it off.
"Oh, that Dialga? Bring it on."
LOL.
Some local time dragon that can't even reach Origin Form? What's there to be afraid of?
If it showed up, Dylan was more than happy to let it experience what a real Dragon God Army looked like.
Maybe he should even set up a nice welcoming party?
He bet that Dialga would be deeply moved by their "hospitality."
Hope it shows up.